Denny Hamlin Will Have Knee Surgery To Repair Torn ACL

Denny Hamlin said surgery to repair his injured left knee “has to be done” regardless of where he ranked in points, but said he was optimistic that he’d be “100 percent” by the time the Chase rolls around – if he makes it.

Hamlin will have surgery on Monday to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which he said has buckled several times and caused the knee to sustain further damage.

Denny Hamlin will have knee surgery to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament on Monday, Joe Gibbs Racing said in a statement Saturday morning.

Hamlin tore the ACL in his left knee playing basketball in January, but had planned to wait until the end of the season to have surgery.

Just when you thought Denny Hamlin was the man who could knock Jimmie Johnson off the pedestal - the throne Johnson has held for four consecutive seasons atop the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - comes this news from ESPN’s Marty Smith.

Smith reports Hamlin tore the ACL in his left knee playing basketball on Friday, but with Daytona Speedweeks (which culminates with the Daytona 500) just a couple weeks away, Hamlin will postpone surgery until after the season.